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“I agree.” He sighs and leans back in his chair. "Now back to the invitation because I was going to tell you about it the next time we both got a moment to sit and eat together, but that didn’t happen till now, so…”
I scoff. "Are you insinuating that I have trust issues?"
"Insinuating? You have so many issues a therapist would need another therapist just to dissect them all.”
“Wow, rude,” I squeak through laughter.
Sebastian beams at me. “The invitation we got was for the annual meeting of the families.”
I nod like I know what that is. "The families?"
"Yes. The Mill, their founding members, and other well-connected families in the community come together once a year to negotiate and handle certain business ventures.”
"So...when you say families, you mean like…" I lean forward and whisper very, very softly, "Criminals."
He snickers and shakes his head. "Some of the families are made up of criminals. However, not all of them do illegal dealings.”
His penetrating gaze stares at me. I'm not sure what he's waiting for me to do? Freak out or lose my mind maybe? Joke’s on him. I've already surpassed my allotted mental breakdowns for the month.
Instead of reacting or asking him why he’s looking at me like I might burst into flames, I ask, “Okay, so why do we have to attend this meeting? And if it happens every year, why are you so mad about it?"
"I’m not mad about the meeting or even that it’s taking place. I’m annoyed that it’s being held by Drew's father," he grits out. "And yes, we'll both be expected to attend. At least if I want to maintain my protection over you."
"Got it. Attendance required, or else.”
He sighs and rakes his hands up his face and into his hair. "I mean yes and no. It’s easier to protect you if you’re with me. They wouldn’t dare try anything in my presence, but leaving you home would be the same as leaving you completely alone. It's not done often, but occasionally, a family will steal a bride or force a marriage contract. It’s far more ballsy to perform the ceremony beforehand, but like I always say, expect the worst because once the marriage is done, it's done."
I grimace. "Sounds like a great group of people."
His phone buzzes, and he glances at the screen. His face and body instantly change, freeze up, tense, as if he’s afraid to move or be caught. Then he clicks the screen off and sets the phone farther away.
“Should I even ask?”
He shakes his head, swallowing hard. “It’s nothing. Just my aunt.”
“You have an aunt...” I try to consider how she’d be related to me, but he cuts in.
“My uncle’s wife. They raised me mostly because my grandfather never wanted to get into the nitty-gritty of actual child-rearing. But don’t worry about it...where was I?
I lick my lips, wishing I were brave enough to push on this, but the set in his jaw says I shouldn’t. “The people at the party...good...?”
"Far from it. We'll have to be careful at the meeting, both before and after. With my grandfather’s death still fresh, I’ll have to do whatever I can to cement my place as the heir to the family. It’s going to be extremely important that we maintain a strong front and show no weakness whatsoever. I need to ensure that all the families understand that I'll be as decisive as my grandfather so no one moves in on the business."
I’m tempted to ask what exactly the business is. We've skirted around it for so long, but if I'm going to be an active participant in this, I need to know.
Clearing my throat, I demand, "Tell me.”
Giving the surrounding space a cautious glance, he leans forward. Most of the seats near us are empty.
"Wait, it’s not…" I pause, not wanting to offend him. "It's not like prostitution, is it?"
He shakes his head. "No, it's not that. Not even close." I watch as he slowly eases his hands apart, holding one up before cocking it back like a gun. There’s a crushing reality of what that means. Guns. Weapons.
"Oh. Okay." Can I live with that? Do I need to know the particulars or...
Shit. The ethical ramifications swirl through my head. Then I jolt..."Does Drew?"
He grins and shakes his head. "Nope. The Marshalls are too good to dip their toes into the illegal dealing of weapons. Lyle is in charge of the money. Most of the organization's money. But that will change soon after everything went down."
